


Shopping

by orphan_account



Series: 30 Day OTP Challenge [8]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:59:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1882563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account





	Shopping

“Bloody hell, Q, look at that one!”

Q looked up from the blueprints of a pocket-sized grenade to see what Bond was pointing at.

“I’m not buying you a jet-pack.”

“But it has flame-throwers,” another voice put in.

“That’s part of the reason why I’m not going to get it for you, either, 006.”

“But Q…”

“Do I have to remind you both that you’re here on Q’s protection detail, not for purchase input?” M said as he walked up behind them.

They were at, for want of a better word, a weapon’s fair. But it was strictly invite only and representatives from various country’s secret services were present. M nodded at a few   
suits who walked past and only just managed to hold back a grimace.

“Found anything useful, Quartermaster?”

Q’s eyes lit up as he began to explain in detail the layout of different weapons and weaponised items he’d tracked down. M listened dutifully, nodding at appropriate moments, only taking in half of what Q was saying. When Q next took a breath, he interrupted.

“That all sounds great, Q, but what’s this all going to cost?”

“Well, that’s the really good thing, M. We only have to purchase the blueprints for the majority of them and Q-Unit can build them from scratch. I want to make adjustments   
anyway, and that’s a million times easier to do if you can work from the inside out.”

M looked around again.

“You haven’t seen our representative from Treasury around, have you?”

Q cast Bond a look, warning him not to laugh. He changed it from a snicker to a cough.

“I believe he got stuck in traffic, sir.”

Bond continued coughing behind them.

“I got here without any trouble.”

Q nodded and hummed thoughtfully before turning back to his blueprints. Bond was now almost doubled over and M turned on him sharply.

“007, if you’re quite alright.”

Bond stood up straight. “Sorry, sir.” But as soon as M turned back to Q, he and Alec shared a wink. Q had spent an hour this morning going over traffic patterns in order to trap   
the Treasurer in a truly phenomenal traffic jam, but still allow M to get through. Q was quite proud of how it all worked out.

M looked at the index of stalls in the program he held in his hand.

“Have you been to the vehicle-section yet?”

Q dragged himself away from the blueprints again.

“Yes, we came in through the south entrance, so it was our first stop.”

“In that case, I’ll take 006 and go back over it. Meet at 1600?”

“Sir.”

Alec and M walked off, and Bond sidled up to Q.

“I was joking about the jet-pack.”

Q looked up at him and smiled.

“I know. You’re equally proficient of jumping out of flying machines and not dying without the help of flame-throwers.”

Q rolled up the blueprints and handed them to Bond to put in their shopping bag.

“There was, however, something I wanted to look at without explaining to M…”

Q grabbed a staff member and asked a few question, Bond standing at his five ‘o’ clock and surveying the room.

“This way, 007.”

Q marched off through the crowd, Bond following in his wake. They eventually came to a store which held different pieces of metal. A construction site, more than a shop front and Bond watched Q go straight to the explosion-proof section. He bought what seemed a ridiculously small amount of some hard material before motioning for Bond that he was moving on again. They spent the rest of the day looking at the different things on offer, Bond drooling over some, Q barely being able to be torn away from others. At four they met up with M and Alec, and left the building. On the drive back M received a call.

“Yes?” There was a very pregnant pause as M slowly looked at Q and glared. Q felt Bond twitching in the seat next to him and Q laid an arm on his leg.

“Fine. I’ll be sure to check. Thanks.”

M hung up the phone.

“Quartermaster.”

“Yes, sir?”

“That was Treasury on the phone. The total costing of today finally got through to their computers. They were a bit surprised over a certain purchase. Care to take a guess?”

Q feigned innocence beautifully, Bond thought, as Q’s green eyes opened wide.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, M.”

“What on the bloody earth are you going to do with titanium?!”

“Oh, that, sir. You see, I needed a lightweight but fire-resistant material for a new explosive device I’ve been working on. I’ve tried almost everything else, but it just hasn’t worked   
for me. I’ll be sure to give you the full run-down once I’ve tried the titanium out. It should work wonders.”

Q’s whole face lit up as he grinned at M, knowing that his boss couldn’t do a thing about it. M rolled his eyes.

“It had better be good.”

 

*** 

 

Two months later and Bond got a text from Q.

“My office. Now.”

Bond dropped the report he was working on and ran downstairs, wondering what was going on. When he got to Q-Unit, the minions all stopped and grinned at him. It made him   
incredibly nervous. Q turned around from the main screen and beamed at him. He picked up a small, rectangular box that was wrapped in kitschy paper and a bright red ribbon.

“Bond. Good of you to come. If you would be so kind as to accompany me to the R&D testing lab?”

Q stepped quickly off the platform and strode towards the doorway, winking at a group of minions on the way past. One squeaked excitedly. Bond followed him, getting more confused with every step. When they reached the labs Q went straight into the closed-off explosive testing range and closed the door behind the two of them. He then turned to Bond and held out the box. Bond took it cautiously.

“Well, open it.” Q said, grinning again.

Bond pulled at the ribbon and eased the paper off. What he found inside confused him even more.

“Q, have you bought me a pen?”

A beautiful fountain pen lay on a satin cushion inside the box. He picked it up and weighed it in his hand. It was surprisingly heavy, considering its size, and also incredibly stunning. The body of the pen was a rich brown colour, and the nib was a shining silver. Q held out his hand and Bond placed the pen into it. As Q turned towards the target, Bond suddenly understood and his confusion was swept away in a burst of happiness and affection. Q aimed the nib at the target and pressed a small button hidden at the top of the pen three times in quick succession. There was a small thwuck sound and something imbedded itself into the target. He leant forward but Q placed a hand on his chest.

“Three… Two… One…”

The whole of R&D shook and smoke filled the testing area. Shouts rang out, but he was only listening to Q’s laugh. When the fans turned on, the smoke drifted away, showing that not only was the target completely blown up, but a large portion on the wall behind it was gone as well. The rest was remarkably charred.

Q held the pen up to him again, and Bond couldn’t believe his eyes. It wasn’t even smoking.

“How?” He asked, his hands twitching, caught between wanting the pen, and wanting Q.

“It has a diamond case, but it wasn’t strong enough and burst every time it fired, so I outlined it with the titanium I bought at that weapon’s fair, and finished it off with a copper overlay, making it look more like a pen. The nib is pure titanium. And it’s reusable!”  
Bond didn’t think he’d seen Q look more excited about something.

“And it’s yours.”

Bond made up his mind and took the pen, carefully laying it back in the box, before turning to Q and gathering him into his arms. He pushed him against the wall and kissed that clever mouth, until they were both gasping for air. When they broke apart, Bond resting his forehead on Q’s.

“I love you. So very much.”

Q blushed, like he always did.

“Well there might be a time limit on that.”

Bond pulled away, looking into Q’s eyes questioningly, but Q just pulled him in for another kiss.

“I haven’t told M what I used the titanium for yet.”


End file.
